{"product_id":"original-u-s-wwii-aberdeen-proving-ground-inert-ordnance-trench-art-lamp-with-81mm-mortar-projectile-anti-tank-mine-base-50-caliber-cartridges-identified-to-cpl-ernest-a-beers-january-1944-functional","title":"Original U.S. WWII Aberdeen Proving Ground Inert Ordnance Trench Art Lamp with 81mm Mortar Projectile, Anti-Tank Mine Base \u0026 .50 Caliber Cartridges - Identified to Cpl. Ernest A. Beers, January 1944 - Functional","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is an outstanding \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eU.S. WWII trench art lamp assembled from inert ordnance components at the Ordnance School, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and identified by an original provenance label to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCpl. Ernest A. Beers of the 40th Ordnance Company (Training)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJanuary 1944\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The lamp incorporates an inert anti-tank mine as the base, an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e81mm mortar projectile\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e as the central column, and .50 caliber cartridges as decorative trim. Even more importantly, the original label on the underside identifies the individual components, their ammunition types, the unit, location, and date, giving this piece unusually strong period documentation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe lamp and all incorporated ordnance components are completely inert and void of explosive content. They are in compliance with BATF standards for inert ordnance and cannot be converted back into live devices. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNOT AVAILABLE FOR EXPORT.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTrench art is a broad collector term for decorative or utilitarian objects made by servicemen, prisoners of war, or civilians from military materials associated with armed conflict. While the term originated largely from the First World War, the tradition continued throughout WWII, when soldiers and military craftsmen transformed spent shell cases, inert projectiles, aircraft parts, cartridges, and other available materials into lamps, ashtrays, models, souvenirs, and presentation pieces.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis example is especially appealing because its origin is not left to speculation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAttached to the bottom is an original period label reading:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTHE ORDNANCE SCHOOL\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAberdeen Proving Ground, Md.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAVIATION ORDNANCE SECTION\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLAMP, M1A1, GI\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBASE: MINE, Anti-Tank, Mk 1, inert loaded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCOLUMN: PROJECTILE, Mortar, 81mm, T5\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTrim - .50 Caliber\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCartridges\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBlack - Armor Piercing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBlue - Incendiary\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRed - Tracer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlain - Ball\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCpl. ERNEST A. BEERS\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e40th Ordnance Co. (Tng)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJANUARY 1944\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThat label is the defining feature of the lamp, documenting not only who assembled or owned it and when, but also the exact military components used in its construction.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe base is formed from an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003einert Anti-Tank Mine, Mk 1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, while the central column is identified as a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eT5 81mm mortar projectile\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Decorative trim is made from .50 caliber cartridges, with the original label explaining the color coding used for the different rounds: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eblack for armor piercing, blue for incendiary, red for tracer, and plain for ball\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe result is a particularly effective piece of wartime ordnance art that directly reflects the environment of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAberdeen Proving Ground Ordnance School\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, where servicemen trained with, studied, inspected, and handled a wide variety of American ammunition and weapons components.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAberdeen Proving Ground was one of the most important U.S. Army ordnance testing and training installations of WWII. Equipment ranging from small arms ammunition to artillery, armored vehicles, and aircraft ordnance passed through its testing and instructional programs, making the provenance of this lamp especially appropriate to its construction.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe identification to the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAviation Ordnance Section\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e adds another interesting layer. The lamp was not simply assembled from random battlefield scrap, but appears to have been deliberately created in an instructional ordnance environment where the individual ammunition types and components were well understood.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe lamp remains \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003efunctional\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, which is a particularly nice survival for an approximately 80 year old piece of military trench art.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt measures roughly \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e24 inches tall\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e with a base approximately \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 1\/4 inches in diameter\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, not including the handle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOverall, this is a far more compelling example than an anonymous shell lamp. The combination of a named serviceman, exact unit, exact location, January 1944 date, documented ordnance components, labeled cartridge types, and surviving functionality gives it unusually strong historical character.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor the collector of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eU.S. WWII ordnance, Aberdeen Proving Ground material, named serviceman items, training artifacts, trench art, or military lamps\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, this is a highly distinctive piece with excellent provenance and display appeal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44894837964869,"sku":"ONJR26MAAS074","price":495.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/E7C855F8-29B4-4339-8988-0A157203FEB8.jpg?v=1776719326","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-wwii-aberdeen-proving-ground-inert-ordnance-trench-art-lamp-with-81mm-mortar-projectile-anti-tank-mine-base-50-caliber-cartridges-identified-to-cpl-ernest-a-beers-january-1944-functional","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}